Down-flow slab



Aprile, 1930. iA. R'EECE 1,753,805

DOWN FLOW SLAB Original Filed Oct. 9, 1924 IN VE N T El R dose/oh Peace.

ATTDRNEY.

Patented Apr. 8, 1930 `UNITED lSTATES PATENT OFFICE JOSEPH A. REECE, OFTOLEDO, OHIO, ASS-IG-NOR T LIBBEY-OWENS GLASS COMPANY, 0F TOLEDO, OHIO,A CORPORATION OFOHIO DOWN-FLOW SLAB Application filed October V9, 1924,Serial No. 742,640.V Renewed June 15, 1928.

rIhe present invention relates to sheet drawing apparatus, and hasparticular reference to an apparatus wherein a source of molten glass isflowed down both sides of a slab at the bottom of which the streamsflowing down both sides are united and drawn from the slab in flat sheetform.

An important object of the invention is to provide a slab for use inconnection with the l0 above-mentioned process wherein the sheet will beso formed that it'will not get narrow-V er after it leaves the slab.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide a slabhaving means at its edges which willform suitable reinforcing meansalong the edges of the sheet being drawn, the said edges of the sheetbeing sulficient to maintain the sheet to width after it leaves the slabfrom which it is drawn.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a slab of'thisnature having means carried at its edges to 'form curled edges on thesheet being drawn Vto prevent a narrowing in of the sheet after itleaves'the slab.

Other objects and advantages will become more apparent during the courseof the following description.

`In the drawings wherein like numerals are employed-to designate likeparts throughout 30 the same. Y

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through the sheet drawingapparatus,

Fig. 2 is a front velevation of the slab in operation,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation through a slightly different form ofslab,

Fig. 4'is a similar view of a slightly modi-y fied form of slab,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail showing the formation of thesheet edge, and

Fig. 6 is a transverse section through the sheet after it has left theslab.

In the drawings wherein for the purposes of illustration is shown thepreferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 6 designates a tankwhich is supplied with a source of molten glass 7 Arranged in theforward end of the tank 6 in the bottom thereof is a discharge opening 8above which is arranged an adjustable gate 9 to control the flow ofglass through the discharge opening. Arranged below the Vdischargeopening 8 is a slab 10 having converging sides as is clearly shown inFig. 1. The upper Vend of the slab 10 is hollowed out'as at 11 to form asmall reservoir for the glass which has left the tank 6. The reservoir 6overflows and two stream-like formations flow down opposite sides of theslab`10 and leave the lower end of the slab and merge forming a sheet12.

To overcome the natural tendency of the sheet 12 to narrow after it hasleft the slab 10, curled lips 13 arbe provided through which the edgeportions of the sheet pass, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.The edges of the sheet will thus curl as indicated in Fig. 5 by thenumeral 1A, forminga reinforc ingedge to prevent narrowing of the sheetas Yabove referred to. i The slab Vis provided with the curled lips 13at both edges thereof and on both sides so that both streams flowingdown the slab will have the curled edges 14 formed thereon, thus givinga sheet similar to the sheet disclosed in Fig. 6. It is to be borne inmind that the stream-like formations iiowing down the slab aresuiiiciently fluent or plastic to curl as indicated in Fig. 5, while atthe same time they are sufciently viscous to maintain the curledformation.

After the sheet has been suitably annealed :the edge portions can beremoved if desired.

rThe curled lip portions 13 are preferably formed integral with the slab10, although obviously they can be formed separately and attached to thesides of the slab in a suitable manner. If it is desired burners 15 canbe arranged in the drawing chamber 16 to heat the curled lips 13 toprevent freezing of the glass or to prevent a too rapid cooling of theedge portions.

The slab, as shown in Fig. 2, has a curved lower end 17, which makes theslab longer through its center than at its edges, so the sheet beingdrawn leaves the border portions first and the center of the slab last.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown anddescribed is to Vbe taken as the preferred embodiment of the same, andthat various changes in the shape,

' size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departingfrom the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Claims:

1. In apparatus for forming sheet glass, a slab, means for directing astream of glass down both sides of the slab and drawing the streams fromthe slab in sheet form, and means carried by the slab at the edgesthereof for receiving the border portions of the streams therethroughduring the descent of said streams down the slab to form an edge on thesheet to prevent narrowing thereof.

2. In apparatus for forming sheet glass, a slab, means for directing astream of glass down both sides of the slab, and drawing the streamsfrom the slab in sheet form, and means carried by the slab to formcurled edges on the sheet to hold the same to width.

3. In apparatus for forming sheet glass, a slab, means for directing astream of glass down both sides of the slab, and drawing the streamsfrom the slab in sheet form, and means for forming curled edges on bothsides of the sheet for holding the sheet to width.

4;. In apparatus for forming sheet glass, a slab, means for directing astream of glass down both sides of the slab and drawing the streams fromthe slab in sheet form, and means formed integral with the slab forcurling the edges of the sheet to hold the same to width.

5. In apparatus for forming sheet glass, a slab, means for directing astream of glass down both sidesrof the slab and drawing the streams fromthe slab in sheet form, and means carried by the slab and curved tocreate a channel for receiving the border portions of the streamstherethrough in a manner to form an edge on the sheet to preventnarrowing thereof.

6. In apparatus for forming sheet glass,

a slab having a curved lower end and a curled lip formed at its edges.

7. A slab of the character described having a curved lower end andcurled lip portions formed at the edges of the slab, the lowermostportion of the lips being in a relatively higher plane than thelowermost portion of the slab.

8.V The process of drawing sheet glass, consisting in flowing a streamof glass down both sides of a slab, forming curled edges on the streamsas they low down the slab and then drawing the streams from the slab insheet form.

9. In apparatus for forming sheet glass, a slab, means for flowing astream of glass down both sides of the slab and drawing the sametherefrom in sheet form, and means for forming a curled edge on thesheet for holding the same to width.

10. The process of forming sheet glass consisting in flowing a pluralityof streams downwardly, uniting the streams to form a sheet, and incurling the edge portions of the streams to maintain the sheet to width.

1l. The process of forming sheet consisting in flowing a plurality ofstreams of glass downwardly, uniting the streams to form a. sheet, andin curling the edge portions of the streams to maintain the sheet towidth, the curled edges of one stream eX- tending in a directionopposite to the direction of the curled edges of the other stream.

12. In apparatus for forming sheet glass, a substantially verticallyarranged slab, means for directing a stream of glass down each side ofthe slab and for drawing the streams from the slab in sheet form, andmeans carried by the slab and arranged at the edges thereof inoverlapping engagement with the border portions of the streams andbefore they leave the slab to maintain the sheet to width.

13. In apparatus for forming sheet glass, a substantially verticallyarranged slab, means for directing a stream of glass down both sides ofthe slab and drawing the streams from the slab in sheet form, and meanscarried by each side of the slab at opposite edges thereof forpreventing narrowing of said sheet, said last mentioned means projectingoutwardly beyond the plane of the adjacent side of said slab.

14. In apparatus for forming sheet glass, a substantially verticallyarranged slab, means for directing a stream of glass down both sides ofthe slab and drawing the streams from the slab in sheet form, and lipscarried by each side of the slab at opposite edges thereof forpreventing narrowing of said sheet, said lips projecting outwardlybeyond the plane of the adjacent side of said slab.

15. In apparatus Yfor forming sheet glass, a substantially verticallyarranged slab, means for directing a stream of glass down both sides ofthe slab and drawing the streams from the slab in sheet form, and meanscarried by each side of the slab at opposite edges thereof forpreventing narrowing of the sheet, said last mentioned means beingshaped to overlap the adjacent border portions of the streams.

16. In apparatus for forming sheet glass, a substantially verticallyarranged slab, means for directing a stream of glass down both sides ofthe slab and for drawing the streams from the slab in sheet form, and iboth sides of the slab and for drawing the streams from the slab insheet form, and means carried hy each side of the slab at opposite edgesthereof and shaped to create a channel outwardly of the adjacent face ofthe slab for receiving the border portions of the streams therethroughin a manner to form edges on the sheet to prevent narrowing thereof. A18. The process of forming sheet glass, consisting in flowing aplurality of streams of molten glass downwardly in spaced relation,uniting the streams to form a sheet, and in forming reenforcing edges onthe streams ,5 while moving in spaced relation, said edges extendingoutwardly beyond the plane of the respective stream at one side thereofonly.

Signed at Toledo, in the county of Lucas, and State of Ohio, this 7thday of October,

JOSEPH A. REEGE.

